zero in on

verb

zeroed in on; zeroing in on; zeroes in on
Synonyms of zero in onnext
1
: to direct all of one's attention to (someone or something)
Scientists are hoping to zero in on a cure.
2
: to aim something (such as a gun or camera) directly at (someone or something)
The gunner zeroed in on the target.

Examples of zero in on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
So police focused on her personal life, zeroing in on that affair Bianca had been having. — Dateline Nbc, NBC news, 3 Sep. 2026 Nick Interlandi’s soundscapes swell with the rat-a-tat of machine guns, or zero in on the precise, satisfying crunch of glass cracking under bone, while Oren Soffer’s cinematography runs the gamut from sickly clinical to startlingly sensual. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2026 Conservative political analyst Melik Abdul agreed with Tindell, telling CNN as a Black Mississippi native he has been frustrated by how Crump has zeroed in on race in the Wells case. — Ryan Young, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026 Police zeroed in on Humphreys and tried to question him at his Dunwoody home days later. — ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for zero in on

Rhymes for zero in on

See All Rhymes for zero in on

Browse Nearby Words

zero hour
zero in on
zeroize
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Zero in on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zero%20in%20on. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All